2006年VOA标准英语-Bush: US Economy Strong

By Scott Stearns
White House
06 January 2006

President Bush says the U.S. economy is strong, despite slower-than-expected job growth last month.
 

George Bush addresses Chicago Economic Club, Friday, Jan. 6, 2006  
  
With new government figures showing the unemployment rate below five percent, President Bush says Americans are going to work, the economy is strong and he intends to keep it that way.

"The American economy heads into 2006 with a full head of steam," he said.  "Our economy grew at more than four percent in the third quarter. We've been growing at nearly that rate for two years. The American consumer is confident."

The new figures show the economy added 108,000 new jobs during December, about half what economists¹ predicted.  But President Bush focused on the positive in an upbeat speech about rising durable² goods orders and real disposable income.

In a speech to economic leaders in the Midwest city of Chicago, Mr. Bush again called on Congress to make permanent his record tax cuts, which he says have helped turn around the U.S. economy.

"We have boosted confidence in our economy. More people have more money to invest.  As a result, the stock market has added nearly $3 trillion in value," he added.

To maintain that growth, the president says, Congress must restrain government spending and increase investments in education and worker training.

He says he will press for agreements to liberalize trade in the Doha Round of World Trade Organization talks, because that will help U.S. producers.

"I'm telling you, it's in the farmers' interest that we are selling soybeans in China," he explained.  "It is in our interest that we have a free-trading world.  If we wall ourselves off from the rest of the world, a bunch of other folks are going to take advantage of the opportunity of free trade.  This is an important issue for our country.  We've got to be confident in our ability to compete."

President Bush said his political opponents in Washington want to take money out of taxpayers³' pockets by opposing the extension of certain tax cuts.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said the president is seeking another round of cuts for the wealthy, while middle-class families, she said, are struggling to pay their bills.

The president's speech in Chicago topped a busy day of trumpeting⁴ economic gains for the Bush administration with Vice⁵ President Dick Cheney in Missouri, Treasury⁶ Secretary John Snow in New York, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in Kentucky and Energy Secretary Sam Bodman in Pennsylvania.

1 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

3 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

4 trumpeting   

大声说出或宣告（trumpet的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• She is always trumpeting her son. 她总是吹嘘她儿子。
• The wind is trumpeting, a bugle calling to charge! 风在掌号。冲锋号！ 来自汉英文学 - 散文英译

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。